Self-serving store



H. C. GOODE.

SELF SERVING STORE.

APPLlcmoN man APR. e. .1920.

Patented Feb. 15, 1921.

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UNITED STATES HENRY CLAUDE GOODE, 0F MACON, GEORGIA.

SELF-SERVING STORE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 15, 1921.

Application led April 6, 1920. Serial No. 371,585.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY CLAUDE Gooon, a citizen of the United States, residin at Macon, in the county of Bibb, State of eorria, have invented certain new and useful mprovements in Self-Serving Stores, of which the following is a description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing and to the figures of reference marked thereon.

This invention relates to a store arrangement and construction, and more particularly to that type known as a self-serving store.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide a most effective utilization of display space and the elimination of congestion in and about the display cabinets of a store of this character.

Another object of this invention is to provide an arrangement whereby purchasers entering the store can quickly determine the location of particular goods, and can pass quickly to and from the cabinets containing the desired goods, without interfering with other purchasers.

A further aim of this invention is to pro vide an arrangement whereby the display cabinets are in full view of the checking counters thereby eliminating the necessity of an additional attendant to supervise the stock.

Another feature of the invention resides in arranging the interior partition which divides the exit from the entrance relatively to said entrance, so that the entering turnstile can be used for ingress on the entrance side of the partition and for egress on the exit side.

These and other objects will in part be obvious and will in part be hereinafter more fully disclosed.

Referring more particularly to the accompanyin drawing, the same illustrates a plan view o the arrangement of my improved self-serving store.

In general, the invention comprises a store having an entrance and an exit, and a preferably lo ltudinally extending partition or rail providing a continuous passageway o r aisle from the entrance to the enit. A1.'- ranged preferably laterally of this longitudmally extending aisle is a series of sections arrangd -side by side and facing on to the aisle. ach section com rises an end or rear cabinet and two oppo spaced apart side cabinets, which side cabinets are preferably arranged at right angles to the aisle. Intermediate these two opposed side cabinets are arran ed additional side cabinets, back to back, te ends of which are spaced from the rear or end wall cabinet in the compartment. The other ends of these intermediate cabinets project toward the aisle and arranged in line with such projecting ends is a series of rail sections spaced slightly from these cabinets whereby the rails and cabinets form a well defined aisle, separati the same from the spaces formed by the intermediate cabinets and the cabinets in the sections. The openings between the sectional rails and the intermediate cabinets form communications from the aisle directly to the space between any two opposed cabinets whereby the purchaser may pass from the aisle to and from a particular cabinet. On the other side of the longitudinal partition are located any suitable number of checking counters which are arranged to face the display sections whereby the attendant may not only fulfil his duty 1n checking the baskets, but he may also have direct supervision of the stock. Other suitable cabinets in basket racks are arranged in convenient places about the store.

Referring more particularly to the accompanying drawing, the store is shown as having the side walls 1 and 2, the front wall 3, which may or may not be omitted, and the rear wall 4. Spaced from the front wall 3 is an intermediate front wall 5 rovided with an entrance 6 and an exit 7. n order to separate the entrance from the exit, there is arranged a preferably central partition 8, which, in the present instance, takes the form of a low rail with a wire screen above and extending toward the ceiling. This rail extends longitudinally toward the rear end of the store, and has an end 9 spaced from the rear intermediate wall 10 so that a cus tomer may pass along the side of this partition, around the end, and in a reverse direction, toward the front of the store to the exit. Spaced a desired distance from this partition 8, and running parallel therewith, 1s a series of sectional rails 11, 12 and. 1'3, the adjacent ends of which are spaced from one another and from the front and rear walls 5 and 10 of the store to provide openings hereinafter referred to.

It will thus be seen that the central partition 8 and these sectional rails form a central aisle or passageway 14 running from the entrance toward the rear end of the store, which, at the end, communicates with a similar reversely ruiming passageway on the other side of the partition 8 hereinafter more fully described.

Located laterally of or rather along the length of the passageway or aisle 14 is a series of display sections arranged side by side and facing directly toward the aisle 141. Each one of these sections includes an end or rear cabinet 15 which is shown as having its rear face backed against the side wall 1 of the store, and two opposed spaced apart side cabinets 16, preferably arranged at right angles to the end cabinets 15, and projecting toward the central aisle 14;. rlhe adjacent side cabinets of two adjoining sections are arranged back to back, so that the display goods carried thereby are arranged to face outwardly. The two extreme side cabinets 17 and 18 have their backs arranged against the front and rear intermediate walls and'10, respectively. These latter cabinets are somewhat longer than the others, and it is preferred in the present instance to construct the cabinet 17 as a basket rack.

Situated between the side cabinet or the side cabinets 16 and 17 and 16 and 18 are intermediate cabinets 19 and 20, similarly constructed. As shown, these cabinets are alsor arranged back to back so that the display sections thereof face outwardly. These intermediate cabinets are arranged so that the ends 21 thereof project toward the end cabinet 15 of the display sections from which they are spaced to form a passageway between the intermediate cabinets and the cabinets in the display sections. The other ends 22 of these intermediate cabinets eX tend up to, and are in line with the sectional rails 11, 12 and 13. By extending the ends of these cabinets into the openings formed by the adjacent spaced ends of these rails 11, 12 and 13, there are formed a plurality of openings 23 from the central aisle 11i, directly to the spaces between the opposed side cabinets 16 and 21, so that a customer entering the store may proceed directly down the center aisle or passageway and may, by readingdisplay cards or charts directing the purchaser to the location of particular goods, pass directly from any point in the central aisle through any of these openings directly to that particular cabinet and thence back to the central aisle without interfering with other purchasers, so that the usual congestion typical of this character of store is eliminated. The customer may then pass from the' central aisle around the end of the partition 8, thence toward the exit, having passed the checking counter hereinafter more particularly referred to.

On the other side of the central partition 8 are arranged a suitable number of checking counters 24 and 25, the former of which is shown yas located near the rear end of the store and spaced from the central rail or partition 8 to provide an aisle or passage way 26 through which a customer may pass on his exit from the store.

In the preferred embodiment of this invention, there is preferably arranged contiguous to the checking counters a basket rack 27 which provides a basket rack adapted to rereive the empty baskets of the customers. rlhis rack is so located as to be a continuation of the checking counter and to deline a continuation of the aisle 26. ln case it is .found convenient to provide a second checking counter, the arrangement shown in the drawing is resorted to. In this instance, the second checking counter is located near the front end of the store and somewhat to the rear of the checking counter 2a, so that there is formed between the two, an aisle 28 through which a pur- Chaser may pass on his way tothe exit. 1f desired, a rail 29 may be located in front of the checking counter 25, to more clearly deline the aisle 28, and to prevent customers who are making an exit through the aisle 2G interfering with the checking taking place in aisle 28. Se also, lin order to prevent customers from leaving the store without passing through aisle 28, checking counter 25 may be located directly against the front intermediate partition V, or, what is preferred, the basket rack 30 is arranged at this place so that the outgoing customers may deposit their empty baskets. It will be cvident from an inspection of the drawing, that these checking counters are arranged abreast of the display sections so that the checking attendants will be facing the ma- `iority of the display sections, and in such position of vantage, may not only attend'to their checking duties, but may also answer inquiries concerning the location of goods and may also watch over the stock to pre* vent shoplifting and to prevent the depletion of the stock in any particular cabinet. @n this exit side of the central partition8, are arranged various other display cabinets such as the display rack 31 with its back ar ranged against the rear wall 10, the refrigerator cabinet 32, crackerrack 88, and the racks 35iaud 35 for bread and vegetables or any other goods which it is desired to sell. By means of this. arrangement, the customer may pass down the central aisle 14,

around the end thereof, and may withoutY passing ldirect to the checking counter, go

to any of these cabinets for additional goods, securing abasket from the rack 30, if desirable, and may then either vpass by the checking countei` through the aisle 28, leaving his empty basket in the basket racks 27 and 80, respectively. f

Arranged at the rear end of thel store between the rear wall 1 thereof and the intermediate rear wall 10. is a storage con1partment 36 in which supplies are kept. so that when any particular display stand or cabinet becomes empty. an attendant may enter the main aisle 14 through the exit 3T and replenish any particular cabinet by passing through the corresponding communicating passage 23 without being compelled to pass in and about the other cabinets. If desired. the side walls 1 and 2 of the store may be provided with passageways indicated at 3S in dotted lines. whereby an attendant may pass direct from this storage space behind the end cabinet 15 of the display sections. from which passageway he may replenish particular display cabinets through the rear end thereof. Similar passageways 39 may be made between the inner adjacent faces of the side cabinets 16 for the same purpose. and this arrangement may be extended to the cabinets 10` 31. 32. etc.. so that in order to replenish stock. the only contact that the attendant would have with the purchasers would be when he is filling the intermediate opposed cabinets 19 and 20.

It will be noted that the basket rack 1T is located at the forward part of the entrance side and in such a location, that the purchasers entering the store. can immediately secure a basket and pass directly to the first side cabinet 21, or the first end cabinet l5. or. such purchaser. by taking a basket from the rack 40 located at the right of the partition 8. may pass directly down the center aisle and through any of the openings 223 as' hereinbefore described.

In order to provide a most effective and uninterrupted flow of purchasers in and out of the store. the openings 6 and 7 are preferably spaced and provided with turnstiles l-l and 42. The turnstile 41 is located with its point of rotation substantially in line with the projection of the central partition 8 so that when on a clockwise rotation of the stile 41. a purchaser may enter on the entrance side of the partition 8 at the same time a person going out of the store, may exit through said stile and entrance 6 on the other side of the partition 8. and in' order to preyent a person passing from the entrance to the exit side, the usual spaced hars 43 may be placed between the front of the partition and the central point of the turnstile.

Tf desired. thc turnstile 41 may he used as a single means of entrance and exit from the store, but it is preferred that an additional stile 42 be placed 0n the exit 7 whereby quicker exit may be had.

ln providing a store of this construction. it is evident that a maximum display space is presented to the purchaser, and that the usual congestion caused by purchasers passing in and about'the cabinets is eliminated for the reason that the customers may travel down the center aisle 14. and after Selecting the particular display cabinet` may enter the aisle through the proper opening 23 and pass along the aisle 14 without being compelled to progress through the successive display sections thereby interfering with the other purchasers.

It is also apparent that by having the central aisle and the laterally arranged display sections placardcd with directions. a purchaser may tell at a glance the exact location of the goods he desires, and may proceed without delay to such point. It is also obvious that duc to this arrangement in combination with the arrangement of the checking counters. additional attendants are eliminated. and by reason of the passageway 38 connecting the storage compartment 36 with the rear of the various end and side cabinets. the speedy replenishing of the stock is made possible without contact with the purchasers.

Ilaving thus described the invention. what vl claim as ne i and desire to secure by lwtter. -latent. is:-

self-serving store provided with a central longitudinal partition and formed with an entran a and exit on opposite sides of one end of said partition. a second partition arranged parallel with said first partition on thc entrance side thereof whereby to form a direct aisle from the entrance to the rear end of said partition. a plurality of display sections arranged on the entrance side of said partition and longitudinally thereof, each section comprising an end cabinet and opposed spaced apart side cabinets. certain of said side cabinets having their ends spaced from said end cabinet. and certain of said cabinets having their ends abutting said parallel partition. each space between opposed cabinets communicating' directly with said aisle. and a suitable number of checking counters arranged on the exit side of said partition.

ln testimony whereof l affix my signature.

ll. (lLllDE lOODE. 

